Maria Figliola has been found guilty of murdering her husband, Frank, for the second time in seven years.

After four days of deliberation, an eight-woman, four-man jury in Hamilton on Saturday concluded the 57-year-old mother of two had arranged for the brutal killing of Frank Figliola on Aug. 6, 2001.

Frank’s family embraced, tears streaming down their faces as the judge sentenced his widow to life in prison with no possibility of parole for 25 years.

On the other side of the room, the Figliolas’ grown children also cried.

It is a case that has polarized the Figliola family, defence lawyer Michael Lacy said after court was adjourned Saturday afternoon.

“I feel compassion for both sides. Obviously one side sees the case a certain way, and the other doesn’t.”

Frank’s sister, Joanne D’Andrea, said that while the verdict brought “peace” for her and her family, “there are no winners.”

“But I’m glad we got the verdict that we got. This is the second time and I think we got it right both times, but there aren’t any winners here,” she said.

“Frank’s gone … we didn’t have that other side … we have our (family) unit, and that’s it.”

“Obviously this was not the verdict we were hoping for, or expected. She’s been through this before as you know, and she appealed her last conviction and she’ll have to digest this verdict again and consider her options,” Lacy said.

He believes there are grounds for an appeal.

The decision climaxes a sensational six-month second trial ordered after the Ontario Court of Appeal set aside a 2006 conviction against Maria and the alleged hit man in the case, Daniele Di Trapani. A second trial for Di Trapani is expected in the fall of next year. Di Trapani is out on bail awaiting his trial.

The Crown argued that Figliola, who was having an affair with a man 20 years her junior, arranged for the killing of her husband to get at hundreds of thousands of dollars in insurance money and other assets to pay for her lavish, cocaine-fuelled lifestyle.

The defence said Frank was more likely beaten to death with a pool cue for not paying his gambling debts.

The trial heard from her lover, Geoffrey Gonsalves, who said he feared for his own life because he knew too much and was living in the witness protection plan. He wasn't involved in the murder but she told him about her role.

The Crown was able to show through a series of bank transactions that Di Trapani was paid at least $17,000. Figliola also provided Di Trapani with a cellphone, and the Crown showed the pair placed dozens of calls to one another in the week leading up to the killing.